Children's Hospice Makes A Splash With Annual Charity Boat Race
Teams of adventurous rowers are set to make a splash at Martin House Children’s Hospice’s annual Dragon Boat Race held in Roundhay Park.
Visitors to the biggest park in Leeds will see teams in colourful dragon boats race across Waterloo Lake, and battle to be crowned as champions, on Sunday, June 23.
The event, which is open to all to attend, will also be hosting a tug of war contest, family funfair, food stalls and a Martin House donation station to drop off your preloved items.
Maddie Massey, events manager at Martin House, said: “The Dragon Boat Race is always a great day out for families– there are races every 10 minutes, so there’s plenty of fast and furious action to watch.”
Teams of ten, plus a drummer to keep time, will paddle for victory in a series of heats, culminating in the grand final, which sees the winners taking home the Dragon Boat Race trophy. There are also prizes for the best fancy dress and highest fundraisers.
Maddie added: “Thanks to our headline sponsor HARIBO, more of the money raised at the Dragon Boat Race will go to supporting families when they need us most.”
Jon Hughes, managing director at HARIBO UK and Ireland, said: “The Dragon Boat Race is a hotly anticipated date in the calendar every year for the HARIBO UK team, as the lead sponsor of the event.
“We're proud to have been a partner for this important Yorkshire charity and its fundraising campaigns for over 15 years now, sharing our purpose of creating memorable moments of childlike happiness for children and families. The HARIBO team will be out in full force with our paddles ready!”
Martin House cares for babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions across West, North and East Yorkshire. Its specialist care includes planned respite, symptom control and emergency stays, end of life care and bereavement support.
The Martin House Dragon Boat Race takes place at Roundhay Park on Sunday 23rd June 2024. Entry costs start from £375, which gives you access to a minimum of three races, a team photo, and the chance to win best dressed and highest fundraiser.
Races start around 10am and go on throughout the day with spectators able to attend free of charge. To find out more about Martin House and how you can support it, visit: www.martinhouse.org.uk/events/leeds-dragon-boat-race/
Martin House has been providing family-led care and support for babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions for 37 years (life-shortening means the child or young person is not expected to live beyond young adulthood).
Every year we support over 440 children and young people, and their families plus more than 160 bereaved families across West, North and East Yorkshire, at our hospice, in hospitals and in families’ own homes.
The hospice, based in Boston Spa, has nine bedrooms in Martin House, and six in Whitby Lodge, which cares for teenagers and young people. Our services include respite stays, symptom control, emergency care, community care and end of life care.
Bereavement support is offered to families, often for two to three years after their child’s death. We also offer bereavement support to families whose child had a life-limiting condition but did not have the opportunity to use the hospice, or following a sudden death.
Martin House has three consultants in paediatric palliative medicine and also hosts two places to train future consultants, one of only six training centres in the UK.
There is no cost to any of the families using our services. It costs nearly £9 million a year to provide this care, the majority of which comes from voluntary donations and fundraising.
Registered Charity Number 517919